Blinding
by LILSBELL
Summary: Liar. Murderer. Criminal. She is all three, and this is her story. Rating will go up. Shit summary I know, but it was early and I haven't had my tea :(


**Had this idea, and wanted to get my writing mojo back so here goes. Please review, I could do with some insight:)**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, merely the story line. All rights belong to DC Comics.**

Blinding

Chapter 1

Belle Reve: Interrogation room 1- West wing - 11:17 PM- September 2018

Nightwing watched as she stared back at Batgirl, ignoring her questions- no smirk, no grin. Unmasked and at the same time, a mystery. Her hands were chained to the table with laser shackles, whilst her feet were bolted into the ground with the same restraints. The interrogation room they were in was icy cold, painted in metallic grey with a one-way mirror on the furthest wall away from her. Nightwing glared back through the glass, looking for any sign of emotion.

'' You should get some rest, Nightwing,'' Robin said, as walked up to the mirror to stand beside him. ''She won't talk.''

Nightwing didn't reply, instead searching for something- anything on her face. It was only Barbara's questions that he could here coming from the room.

'' Do you have any affiliation with the Penguin?'' Barbara asked, placing a photo across to her on the table.

She didn't say a word.

'' The picture shows the two of you meeting,'' Barbara continued, a glint of frustration appeared on her face. '' It would be easier to just admit to the truth, might help with your sentence.''

The girl stared, sighing slightly as if in mockery of the questions.

Barbara arched an eyebrow, ''is that a yes?''

The interrogation had lasted for about an hour Nightwing noticed as he glanced up at the clock on the side of the interrogation room.

''Nightwing, come on. Let's go. Barbara's not going to get anything out of her. We could ask M'gann tomorrow to help,'' Robin prodded.

Nightwing continued to look through the glass, focussing on her.

'' How about this photo? This was taken 5th August 2016 at the Longval Hotel during the Bludhaven blackout last year. This is you with Farah Wickhams stealing $2.5 million from their vault, can you confirm?''

Her bottom lip tilted upwards while she looked down at the photo; she was actually smiling, Nightwing realised without a care in the world.

'' Here, in this photo you are standing by Earl Diamond exhibit at the Crenshaw museum in Cologne. This shows you stealing the Earl diamond itself. Will you confirm?'' Barbara continued, placing another photo down on the table.

Nightwing admired Barbara's patience: a whole hour she had stood in that room, questioning her with no replies. He clenched his fists in annoyance, wondering how it had ever gotten to this. He placed his gloved hands on the glass, wanting nothing more than to punch the glass in.

'' I need to speak to her, '' Nightwing said quietly. '' I need to know- everything.''

'' No, Dick! You're too close to this- emotionally- even now. She duped you: Lennie- that girl doesn't exist.''

'' I KNOW THAT! I just- I- I need to speak to her!'' Dick said, his voice rising as he looked at the girl in the interrogation chair, his hand banged the glass as he spoke.

Tim looked at him for a few moments, seeing the anger and desperation in his face. He smiled slowly, ''Relax, Dick. This is what she wants- to rile us up.''

''I need this, Tim. I need to talk to her.''

Tim nodded slowly, giving his agreement. ''Okay, but you can't start yelling like this- you'll let her know that she's gotten to you.''

He nodded, before activating the communicator in his ear, ''Batgirl, come on out, I want to speak to her.''

Barbara looked at the glass in surprise, nodding slowly, ''Interview terminated at 11:25pm.''

As she walked out of the glass, Dick came round to the door.

''You sure about this Dick?'' Barbara looked up at him in concern.

''Yes,'' he said firmly, leaving no room for argument before walking in, letting the door automatically shut behind him.

He stood still as soon as he stepped inside, looking at the girl he once thought he knew. She was sitting still in her chair, perhaps having realised he was inside. Tilting her head slowly to right, she stared right at him, a hint of a smile appearing as she watched him. Even now, Dick realised as he watched her, she could look like an innocent. Her big brown eyes watched him, while he walked to table and sat down across from her. She didn't say a word as he sat down, for moments just looking at her.

''When did you work out I was Dick Grayson?'' Dick said.

She stared at him, a look of smugness appearing on her face.

He continued, ''I'm guessing you know who most of the League actually are.''

No answer. Dick was getting frustrated as he watched her, clenching his fists as he placed them onto the table. It was as if he had never existed to her, never affected her. It felt as if he was nothing to her. He could feel the anger rising, as he looked at her.

''Who else knows about our real identities?'' he said.

She had begun tapping her index finger on the table, ignoring his questions while staring at him.

''How many members in the Crime Syndicate?''

 _Tap, Tap, Tap,_ her finger sounded as it hit the table slightly.

''Did you assassinate the banker of Gotham central bank?'' he asked, the gauntlets on his arms clenched tight, making him wince inside as he glared at her.

 _Tap, Tap, Tap._

''Why were you seen in Arkham asylum? Who were you visiting?''

 _Tap, Tap, Tap._

''ENOUGH, Lennie! ENOUGH OF THE FUCKING GAMES!'' Dick shouted, as both of his fists hit the table- hard. ''WHY? Why the lies?''

Dick looked down at the table, his head hunched slightly. The clock on the wall ticked for moments in silence, and Dick noticed that she had stopped tapping. He watched as she slowly leaned forward, across the table, the laser handcuffs emitting a hissing sound as she moved gradually.

''I really did get to you, didn't I?'' she spoke, her voice soft, yet cold. The bangs in her hair shadowed her eyebrows, but Dick noticed the arching in them as she spoke. ''You have to admit, I am good at my job.''

She was closer to his face now, but he had never heard her sound so detached before. ''Oh Dick, you were always so easy to manipulate. I think there's a lesson to learn in all this.''

''Who are you? Really?'' Dick asked, glaring at her.

She looked at him for a moment, ''I am- whoever I want to be.'' She tilted her head slightly to the right, before continuing in a different accent, a British one, ''Fun Fact about me: I have no idea how many aliases I actually have. I've never quite counted.''

She laughed after she spoke, a hard edge to her voice as she finished speaking. Dick watched her, trying for the first time to see something truthful, hoping that this was them talking finally. '' Is Lennie Rosteff your real name?''

She squinted slightly at him, ''Are you looking for honesty, Dick?''

''Yes''

''Hmmmm, well then- No. Lennie Rosteff is the name of the horse I had when I was 5.''

''Is that the truth?''

''Yes.''

''Now you have to answer a question of mine, honestly.''

Nightwing looked at her momentarily, before nodding.

''Where am I right now, and where is my sentence going to be carried out?''

Should he tell her? Lennie- or whatever her name was would be held in maximum security anyway; she wouldn't even get a phone call. It couldn't do any harm to tell her.

''You're in Belle Reve, but chances are you'll be put into Arkham or Blackgate.''

''Hmmmmm,'' she said, with nonchalant nod.

He studied her, while she looked down in thought: the chocolatey locks of long curly hair she had from months ago were gone. Instead, she sported a bold shade of red, straight down to her waist with bangs covering her eyebrows. Dick noticed that there was a newly formed dark scar on the right side of her jaw which travelled down her neck and disappeared into her shirt. _When had she received that?_

'' The Crime Syndicate. What position do you hold in it?'' he spoke.

'' Crime Syndicate?'' she scoffed, before laughing quietly to herself. ''The Justice League really does excel at naming criminals.''

'' Answer the question,'' he cut off.

'' Fine-fine. My position- my position. What's my position in the Crime Syndicate?'' she laughed again, before speaking. ''I guess you could call me one of the leading members- FOUNDING FATHERS. Now that sounds like a title.''

She didn't give him a chance to think when she countered, ''enough of the questions, I want to meet the league.''

''You'll be interrogated more tomorrow.''

''So where's Damian, haven't seen him in a while,'' she asked with a look at the one-way mirror.

'' You will never see any of my family- ever!''

She smiled watching him wince in annoyance, knowing how she'd riled him up once again.

'' I am good,'' she muttered to herself with a smile before speaking in tone of mockery, ''Do give him my regards, won't you. And tell him his grandfather still speaks of him highly.

'' Stop it- Lennie.''

'' There's a rumour out there you know,'' she continued ignoring his words, ''they're saying there's a new vigilante, Red hood. But you know what interests me- he's been seen with a bat insignia on his chest: just a bit like Batman. Odd, don't you think? It's almost as he's part of the Bat family!''

Dick banged his gauntlets on the table in anger, this time leaving a large dent into it, ''STOP!''

She stared at him smiling, the look in her eyes full of cruelty. She leaned back from the table and on her chair in a casual manner.

'' You gave me too much, Dick. Far too much,'' she said, her voice menacing and distant. A smile was etched on her face.

He had had enough of this: her carefree act; Dick wanted her to feel the hurt he felt. He wanted her to know betrayal.

'' That night you left- Lennie. You wanted to tell me something. I saw it in your eyes.''

'' I think it's called acting, Dick,'' she said, without a hint of emotion.

He might have missed it if he hadn't known her for so long. If he hadn't seen her mannerisms before, memorised every single emotion she'd shown, he would have mistaken this as her humour- gone was the mockery, and behind it her eyes showed a moment of hurt. Dick had caught it, and right now he wanted to use it.

'' You said you wanted me to know everything- you said that you wanted more,'' Dick replied, watching for any reaction.

'' You've lost me there Dick, no idea what you're talking about, '' she spoke, her voice teetering on mockery and something else.

Dick had noticed it however: the flicker of pain in her eyes; the subtle shakiness in her fingers, and the slight pursing of her lips before she had spoken. It was all there. _Not everything had been a lie, she couldn't have lied about everything._

''I think you know, Lennie. What was it you wanted me to know Lennie? What did you want so bad?'' his voice mimicked her mockery this time, watching for movement.

This time she was more obvious, more blatant and he had caught it. For a second he watched her staring at him and there was vulnerability in her, a sadness he hadn't noticed ever. How had he never seen that, even when they were together? Was she really so good at pretence?

She stared at him, not to goad or ridicule, but Dick had the slightest suspicion she was about to say something as he watched her mouth open.

''Nightwing- Come in!'' sounded the beeping on his gauntlet.

Looking down, he clicked on buttons:

The comm in his ear sounded, ''Nightwing! Blue beetle here, Could use your help in Mexico City? Can you assemble a team and get down here ASAP? There's something you need to see.''

''Be there ETA 40 minutes,'' he replied.

''Copy that. Blue beetle out.''

Looking back up, he saw nothing but a bored look in her face. It was as if the last few minutes had never happened.

Nightwing stood up to leave. As he opened the door, he heard her speak, ''there'll be five caves on the outskirts of the city on the south west. Don't waste your time with what your friend found- they're old and you won't be able to get any strong samples from them. Try the smallest of the caves, the narrowest entrance. That's what you want.'' She spoke whilst looking straight ahead.

'' We still need to talk- Lennie.''

'' Your friend will be needing your help.''

'' Tomorrow- we're going to talk.''

She smiled- the edge of her lips raised up. ''Tomorrow- I'll be talking to Batman, and perhaps more of your _wonderful_ friends. I'll be a liar tomorrow.''

* * *

 **SO that was Chapter one, and hope it wasn't too bad. Please review:) I'll try update soon as possible.**


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